Ca. 10th Century AD
This pendant is in the shape of a double-headed hammer. Made in silver, the pendant is decorated with triangular stamps with a central boss. A shallow groove replicates the pendant’s shape at the centre. This design is connected to ‘Mjolnir,’ the famous hammer of the Norse god, Thor.
 
In Norse mythology, Thor’s hammer is the greatest of all the gods’ treasures as it represents Thor’s role as a protector of both humans and the gods from the ever-present threat of the giants. When worn as a pendant or adorning jewellery this symbol represents Thor’s sacred function as a protective deity and served an amuletic function. Small pendants of this type are also often found in funerary contexts. For a similar example, see: The National Museum of Denmark Museum Number: C1787/C1786
 
Provenance: Found in Denmark. Part of a German private collection formed in the 1990s; formerly acquired at a Munich antiquity fair.
 
For additional information see: Graham-Campbell, J., 2013, Viking art, London. Arbman, H., 1943, Birka I. Die Gräber. Tafeln. Stockholm.